Winter Baseball Meetings : A’s No Longer Interested in Greg Brock

Oakland, the one club that had publicly expressed interest in Greg Brock, publicly expressed uninterest Monday at the 1986 winter baseball meetings, which have yet to produce one significant trade.

The A’s, who had previously said they would not trade relief ace Jay Howell for Brock, added two other objects of Dodger affection--set-up man Steve Ontiveros and center fielder Dwayne Murphy--to that list.

The A’s, in fact, are no longer interested in a first baseman.

“If you make a move like that, then what does it tell Rob Nelson?” A’s Manager Tony LaRussa said of Brock’s possible acquisition. “We like to develop our home-grown.”

Nelson, 22, is a graduate of South Pasadena High who hit 20 home runs and drove in 108 runs in 139 games for Triple-A Tacoma last season and will apparently start the 1987 season as the A’s first baseman. He has already prompted the A’s to move USC’s touted Mark McGwire to third base.

Where does this leave Brock, who asked to be traded a year ago and would still prefer that to another summer in platooning for the Dodgers.

Vice President Al Campanis continued to insist Monday that there is interest in Brock, but that it was doubtful a deal could be made before the meetings end Wednesday.

One highly regarded National League scout said that the Dodgers, by consistently degrading Brock’s ability, which they began during last winter’s contract negotiations and continued during arbitration, have harmed their bid to trade him.

Are Brock and agent Tony Attanasio concerned about that?

“I don’t think the Dodgers have bad-mouthed him as much as saying that they don’t think he can hit left-handed pitching,” Attanasio said. “And I don’t think it should have a detrimental affect on what the Dodgers are trying to do now.”

One thing the Dodgers did Monday was offer Brock and Bill Madlock to the Kansas City Royals for left-handed starter-reliever Bud Black or one of the Royals’ other starting pitchers.

Brock would serve as protection against the possibility of Steve Balboni’s failure to recover from a back injury. Madlock could become the designated hitter if Balboni doesn’t.

The Royals didn’t rule it out, but told the Dodgers they would pursue other inquiries first.

The Dodgers also made another bid for Montreal relief ace Jeff Reardon, but one Expo official said they would make a one-for-one trade only if it involved Orel Hershiser. The Expos said they would need a second player from the Dodgers if it involved Bob Welch and that they would not accept Rick Honeycutt under any conditions.

Said the official: “You always have to go through three months of Dodger BS before you can figure who they’re talking about and if you have a deal.”

Attanasio, meanwhile, said he believes that the Dodgers are making a good-faith attempt to trade Brock.

“I don’t expect him to be in Los Angeles next year, Greg doesn’t expect to be in Los Angeles and neither do the Dodgers,” Attanasio said.

Would he be disappointed if he is?

“Disappointed isn’t the right word,” Attanasio said. “He would simply prefer being somewhere else. Everyone reaches a point where it’s best to move on, and Greg has reached that point. He would be a professional about it if it doesn’t happen, but it would psychologically be better for him to have the opportunity to hit the ball out of Detroit or Atlanta or somewhere else.

“The situation last year, starting with the arbitration, was unbearable for everyone.”

The pressure of replacing Steve Garvey has also weighed on Brock, but Attanasio said his client has carried it.

“Compare Brock’s stats with Pedro Guerrero and Mike Marshall,” Attanasio said.

Brock has hit a home run every 21.2 at-bats and produced an RBI every 6.9. Guerrero has hit a home run every 20.4 at-bats and produced an RBI every 6.2. Marshall: 21.4 and 6.7.

Brock is definitely in the same ballpark. He just hopes that it won’t be for much longer.

Commissioner Peter Ueberroth delivered an optimistic state-of-the-game address Monday based on the attendance record set in 1986, the first year that all 26 clubs drew more than 1 million in attendance; a successful and ongoing battle against drugs; the new program of corporate involvement that produced $1 million for charity; an improved response to fan behavior that stemmed, in part, from stricter control in the sale of alcoholic beverages, and the obvious improvement in regard to financial responsibility on the part of the clubs.

That financial responsibility stemmed, he said, from the owners’ embarrassment with their widespread losses when the books were opened during the last collective bargaining negotiations with the union.

Ueberroth said he wanted the clubs to dedicate the 1987 season to the 40th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s major league debut and said that all players may wear Robinson’s number, 42, on their uniform sleeve.

He said he would offer to set up an independent advisory board to assist players with their investments and that he would no longer offer his assistance in negotiation or arbitration with the umpires, that the Player Relations Committee had now hired professional help for that purpose.

The applause was loudest when he alluded to the new financial climate and said: “There’s something damned wrong when you’re paying $2 million to a player no longer playing or even on the roster and $18,000 to a scout who has spent his life in the game.”

He also said: “If you can tell me that there is any individual on Earth who could control or manipulate a George Steinbrenner and a Ted Turner and a Marge Schott and a Ewing Kauffman, you’ve got to show that person to me. He certainly is not standing here.”

Baseball Notes The Dodgers’ refusal to trade Orel Hershiser, in addition to thwarting the bid for Jeff Reardon, has apparently chilled talks with Philadelphia regarding first baseman-outfielder Von Hayes. The Dodgers are continuing negotiations with Seattle regarding a deal that would include Mariner left-hander Matt Young. . . . The Dodgers and Angels met for nearly an hour Monday, with the Dodgers inquiring as to the Angels’ personnel plans if free agents Bob Boone, Doug DeCinces and Brian Downing are not re-signed. Both sides said there was nothing to it, although Angel General Manager Mike Port, a former minor league infielder, smiled and added: “I’m actually wary of dealing with Al (Campanis) because he was smart enough not to sign me. However, he wasn’t alone.” . . . In the wake of the Oakland A’s decision not to re-sign designated hitter Dave Kingman, General Manager Sandy Alderson said Reggie Jackson is a “definite possibility” for that job. He said there are “ongoing negotiations” that he did not expect to be completed this week. . . . There was a minor trade Monday. The Baltimore Orioles sent catcher John Stefero to Montreal for a player to be named later. . . . Neither the Angels nor Dodgers made a selection as only eight players were taken for $50,000 each in the draft of unprotected minor league players. The Angels’ Ron Romanick was not among them. He is still reportedly headed to the New York Yankees, providing the contingencies can be worked out. The Houston Astros drafted pitcher Jeff Edwards off the Dodgers’ Albuquerque roster.